Anna Pavlova
Anna Pavlova, (1885-1931). Russian ballerina Despite poverty and sickness as a child, she trained at the Ballet School in St Petersburg and became prima ballerina with the Russian Imperial Ballet in 1906. She danced with Diaghilev’s company in 1909 but thereafter performed independently and toured with her own company. Her performances popularized classical Russian ballet in the West. She died of pneumonia brought on largely through overwork.
